Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

Lieutenant Colonel  J.J. Scanlan, DSO and Bar, 59th Battalion. 

Australian War Memorial. http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/H06233

Scanlan J J     2nd Lieut        John Joseph              7 Inf Bn    24    Shipping clerk    Single    R C       

Address:    Middle Park, Richardson St, 270   

Next of Kin:    Scanlan, J A, father, 270 Richardson St, Middle Park   

Enlisted:    24 Aug 1914       

Embarked:     A20 Hororata 19 Oct 1914   

Prior service:  2 years 5 AIR; 1 year 60th Inf Regt; 1½ years 58th Inf Regt.

Awards:  DSO & Bar, 3 MID

Returned to Australia with gunshot wound to shoulder early 1916.

Scanlan J J  Lieut        John Joseph           58 Inf Bn         25      Customs clerk       Single    RC

Address:  Middle Park

NOK:  Scanlan, James Andrew, father, 241 Richardson St, Middle Park

Enlisted: 23 Aug 1914

Embarked: A67 Orsova 1 Aug 1916

Previously service: 7 Inf Bn

Mentioned in this publication:

For Empire

Scanlan, John Joseph (1890–1962) Australian Dictionary of Biography

Pompey Elliott

Mentioned in correspondence 

Letter from Hopkins E J Pte 448 from Malta Essendon Gazette 8 July 1915

Letter from Young-A-T-Cpl-414 to parents, Essendon Gazette 15 July 1915

2nd Lieutenant John Joseph Scanlan in his

58th Inf Bn cap.  (Source:  For Empire)

Portrait of J J Scanlan, taken at Broadmeadows circa July 1916 . 

Australian War Memorial Collection. http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/DAOF117

LIEUT.-COLONEL J. J. SCANLAN.  

Among the Australians who, by hard and courageous work, have won recognition of their gallant services at the front, is the name of Lieut.-Colonel J. J. Scanlan, at present commanding the 59th Battalion in France. Lieut.Colonel Scanlan was one of the first to volunteer for active service in 1914, when war was declared, being then lieutenant in the Essendon Rifles, and he left Australia with the First Contingent in the 7th Battalion, under Lieut. Colonel Elliot. At the landing at Gallipoli, the boat of which, he had charge was one of the first Victorian boats to attempt to land, and out of 36 men aboard, only nine managed to reach the shore, the rest being either killed or wounded. Whilst leading his men, he was severely wounded, and sent to Hospital.

During his convalescence in Italy, in company with other officers, he had the privilege of having an audience with his Holiness the Pope, through the courtesy of the Very Rev. Fr. Louis Nolan, an Irish Dominican, who took a kindly interest in the party, and arranged the interview. Later Lieut-Colonel Scanlan was invalided to Australia for a few months, and returned to France in charge of reinforcements. Since then he gained his captaincy, and his majority, and early this year he was granted his present rank.

Lieut.-Colonel Scanlan, who is 27 years of age, was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, St. Kilda, and was employed, previously to enlisting, with Messrs. J. P. Crosbie and Co., shipping agents, Market-street, City. He is the eldest, son of Mr. J. A. Scanlan, Richardson-street, Middle Park, who has another son, Gunner P. J. Scanlan, in the artillery in France, who, previous to enlisting two years ago, was employed in the Federal Attorney-General's department, Victorian Patents Office.

LIEUT.-COLONEL J.J. SCANLAN. (1918, June 15). Advocate (Melbourne, Vic. : 1868 - 1954), p. 24. Retrieved July 21, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article152191250

Annotated on the back: 'Sakkara Trip. From right Lt. Scanlan, De Ravin, Capt McCrae, Lt Chapman,

Capt McKenna, " Mason  + Donkeys boys'.  Sakkara is outside Alexandria.  Source: Museums Victoria Collections https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/1561809

Picardie, Somme, Huppy  29 October 1918. The 59th and 60th Battalions being reviewed by their Divisional Commander, General Sir J. J. Talbot-Hobbs KCB KCMG DSO. Identified: Lieutenant E. C. Alexander (1); Lieutenant Colonel J. J. Scanlan DSO (2); Captain W. L. Heron (3); Major General J. J. T. Hobbs KCB VD (4); 2204 Private (Pte) A. G. Leckie (5); 1985 Pte A. Rintoul (6); 3133 Pte J. Hester (7); 3573 Pte R. R. McFadyen (8); 2719 Pte L. A. Radcliffe (9). See E03935K for position of those named in this caption. Australian War Memorial Collection.  http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/E03935

War Service Commemorated

Essendon Town Hall R-Y

Patriotic Concert 1914

Essendon Gazette Roll of Honour With the Colours

“Send off to the Essendon Boys”